The Wrong Kind of Trouble
by alimination602
Summary: A story detailing my interpretation of Sables origins.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1- The Wrong Kind of Trouble

Lieutenant Lance Cooper always hated formal gatherings at the best of times. And a Federation Peace Conference to discuss the plight of Sai villages on the Frontier ranked highly on his list of 'I'd rather be stuck in a Brood nest baked in barbecue sauce than…….'

But unfortunately the Chancellor demanded that a representative of the Echelon military be present. And since Huntsman and Vantage were busy hunting around abandoned Echelon bases full of dormant and occasionally rampant security systems Coop was assigned the worst job of all- posing for the Politicians and the Sai.

He stood out in the cold bite of the night air, the harsh call of their crafts engines resonating on the wind as it embraced the safety of the air. He sheepishly adjusted the collar of his dress uniform, his bodyguard and friend Jonas noted the habit. "Don't be nervous sir, Sai can smell fear"

The craft they had arrived on swooped back into the sky, disappearing among the darkened clouds hanging precariously above them, leaving them on the landing pad- exposed and with no chance of retreat. But while the Echelon representatives had arrived via metallic dropships the Sai utilized enormous beasts they called Rift Worms as transport. Coop was certainly amused at the dumbstruck look on the technicians face as they attempted to wrangle in the mighty beast, only to be forced back several steps as the creature attempted to close its mighty jaw around their extended arm.

Their expertise residing around metallic craft meant that no one among them knew exactly what to do with a 30ft flying lizard, much less where to put the fuel pump. But a gentle pat on the creature's side from the Sai pilot seemed to sooth the rampant beast, encouraging the attendants to keep their distance lest the creature turn rabid once again.

Coop noticed the two Sai representatives disembark from their mighty transport- each gliding gracefully to the deck, their loose robes and bizarre head tails dragging lazily behind them as they fell. They touched the deck- their appendages fluttering delicately and finally settling as they slowed.

Coop and Jonas couldn't help but notice the elegant and surprisingly sparse attire the Sai decided to adorn, the fabric leaving their toned stomachs exposed and leaving little else to imagination. Coop watched with eager interest as the two Sai talked between them.

"I wouldn't bother if I were you" Jonas's words snapped him out of his day dream. "That's Sable. The guys back at base call her the Black Widow- she kills the guy after she mates. And it's not always in that order."

Coop was suddenly strangely intrigued and unsurprisingly disturbed. "And what about her little friend?"

Jonas shrugged his shoulders in defeat. "Never seen her before".

Coop and Jonas continued to watch the two of them- their conversation ending as the two Sai stepped towards the Conference Centre they finally seemed to have taken notice of Coop and Jonas. The younger Sai Jonas knew nothing about smiled at Coop as she walked- and Coop returned the compliment.

******************************************

Eona and Sable glided through the air on the back of their proud war beast- puncturing through the clouds and evading the other air traffic in the area with graceful ease. Eventually they came in sight of their target- the Peace Conference Centre within the rebuilt city centre. While Eona was dazzled by the buildings beauty and delighted to have been chosen to represent Meridian and the Sai at this summit Sable however was far more sceptical, expecting Anti Aircraft batteries to emerge from the statues and open fire upon them as soon as they were in range. When such a threat failed to materialize Sable felt a depressing chill course through her at the prospect she would have to endure this engagement with her unbridled powers held in place only by Eona's soothing voice.

She brought the mighty war beast down onto the landing pad- the beast hovering on invisible limbs over the metallic pad. Sable noticed the Echelon technicians as they approached- hefting computer terminals and fuel lines as was their rehearsed procedure. But upon seeing the gigantic, mutant beast they instantly froze- none of them exactly sure on what to do.

The bravest among them stepped forward- attempting to touch the skin of the beast in an effort to demonstrate its harmlessness. However the beast thrust out with its mighty jaw, attempting sever the technicians arm from the remainder of him. Unfortunately he was fast enough to evade their beast's attack- a tragic shame.

Sable patted the palm of her hand against the side of the beast- settling its raging heart. The creature finally calmed- lowering itself down to the deck to allow it's passengers to disembark onto the deck. Eona gracefully slid down the side of the creature, landing with the elegant ease of a premiere performer. Sable however simply leapt from the creature's saddle and, utilizing her powers, landed with an impact that was sure to shock and awe the rabble of technicians watching her. "I still don't understand why we have to be here"

Eona sighed lightly- brushing her tunic, allowing the mild cresses to smooth. "We are here to convene with the Echelon leaders about helping the rural Sai territories in the Frontier that neither of us can effectively assist alone"

Sable sneered "Why do we bother humouring these Echelon dogs any longer? Soon the Sai flag shall be flying against the blood stained sky across the whole Frontier. We shall not require the Echelon then"

"It saddens me to hear that- you still lust for the path of war" Eona could feel the tint of despair taking firm root in her speech.

"It is the only thing these brutish Echelon understand" Sable growled.

Sable suddenly realized something. Though she had spent the most recent years of her life progressing the ranks of the Sai military to become one of their most powerful and feared Neophytes, the majority of her 29 years had been spent grovelling through the destroyed city streets in a vain attempt to scrape together enough food to survive. The only way to survive in those conditions was living off whatever you could find or raid from the Echelon patrols that passed through the area. Spending her childhood listening for the rhythmic crunch of their boots against the rubble or the gentle whine of the engines of their Prowlers as they drove had given her a sixth sense for noticing even the smallest changes to her surrounding's- as well as when she was being watched. "Don't look now" she lowered her voice to a whisper.

"What?" Eona turned to see what Sable was referring to.

Sable lashed a hand to Eona's shoulder, drawing her back to face Sable. "I said don't look" Sable growled- growing up in the temple Eona had neglected to learn even the faintest skills taught outside of the Temple training.

"That Echelon Commander keeps staring at us" Sables eyes watched their blind spots- weary of potential ambush sites around them. "Come on- we need to get inside, amongst our own" Sable pushed Eona along with her- drawing the two of them towards the door.

Eona took the opportunity to finally identify the source of Sable's anxiety- a young Echelon commander with wispy bright red hair was watching the two of them with keen interest and bewilderment, and had most likely been doing so since they touched the deck. Eona returned the innocent smile.

********************************************

The peace talks being over didn't mean that Coop's suffering was. After the talks a 'Meet and Greet' bash was being held to allow the representatives to talk informally amongst themselves while sampling the tastes of their combined delicacy's.

Coop had decided to sample the bar while watching the tense conservations between the Echelon and Sai representatives slowly dwindle down to its nub. Coop took another swig of the bright blue liquid sitting in his glass, feeling the cool burn running down his throat as the potent cocktail removed another chunk of time off his life expectancy.

Jonas relaxed, leaning against the bar for support, basking in the warm glow of the glances of the female Echelon and Sai representatives alike as they passed the bar. Coop however could not relax- his thoughts continued to drift back to the two Sai he had witnessed on the landing pad. And when he suddenly noticed them from amongst the sea of individuals his curiosity was suddenly enflamed ten fold. He gulped down the last remains of his drink- sliding down from his stool only to have his legs give out from under him. He braced against the bar for support, Jonas lurching forward to catch him.

But Coop brushed aside his friend's assistance, finally summoning enough strength to stand under his own power he proceeded to disturb as many dancing couples as was necessary in his determined effort to finally reach the two of them. Jonas trailed behind him, attempting to divert him away before he made an even greater fool of himself. "What are you doing Coop?"

"I just wanna speak to dose Say we serwd on the lading pad" his words slowly became more and more slurred as the concentrated elixir took an even greater hold over his body.

"I can just see this going badly" Jonas mused.

**************************************

"Oh no" Sable sighed.

Eona quickly discovered the reason for Sable's sudden stifled shock, watching as Coop brushed aside another pair of dancers as he stumbled uneasily towards them, another well dressed Echelon trailing in his wake, offering stumbled apologies to those he disturbed. The bright haired trooper finally came face to face with Eona and Sable. "Hey, yaw da Sai I daw on the pad. I'm Cooop" He held out a shaking hand.

To her credit Eona accepted it- despite Coop's clumsy approach. "Glad to meet you. I'm Eona and this is-" She was ready to introduce her partner but Sable was able to beat her to it.

"I'm Sable" She extended her hand reluctantly. Coop burst out laughing at the extended appendage. "Hey, you're the Back Idow I eard about"

Sable was certainly perplexed, struggling to make sense of this idiot's insane ramblings, but ensured that her confusion did not appear on her face. But still he continued.

"Peerhaps you would likke to dance?" Coop asked Eona.

A small tint of red emerged over Eona's pale skin "I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer"

"I could show you" And at those final words his entire body finally gave from underneath him, his knees collapsing underneath him. Jonas was ready to catch Coop on his descent- pulling him back onto his feet.

"Come on" Jonas hefted him onto his shoulder.

The Sai were left perplexed by the encounter. "Now you why we shouldn't trust the Echelon"

**********************************************

Coop could feel a sharp pain coursing through his mind- any attempt at movement only succeeded in intensifying the pain a dozen times over. He fought back the pain enough to finally open his eyes, moments later having to close them again as a bright light pierced the dark veil that had once consumed him. "Uggh" he elicited a stunted groan in response to the new stimulant overpowering his senses.

"Well good morning merry sunshine" he recognised the voice- Jonas.

Coop managed to stumble out a response. "Where am I?"

"You're room- I dragged you back here after you got plastered at the bar"

Coop chuckled lightly. "Sounds a lot like me" He attempted to wrangle himself upright, collapsing back amongst the tangled sheets when his strength surrendered to the force of gravity once again. "I didn't do anything stupid last night did I?"


	2. Chapter 2 Life on the Frontier

Chapter 2- Life on the Frontier

The silver moonlight cascaded through the open window, Eona basking in its cool, calming glow. Eonas mind was rampant with conflicting thoughts about what had transpired earlier tonight. Eona could remember a time not so long ago when the world had been so different- when life on Earths barren and scorched wasteland had been simpler and clean cut, but no more bearable.

* * *

The thin rag ran cleanly along the smooth contours of the serrated blade of the combat knife. The rag passed seamlessly over the tip of the blade, returning to the hilt and repeating the action across the other side, removing the thin film of dirt and grime forming across the flawless surface. Sable held the combat blade up to the beams of light which pierced through the cracks in the ceiling above her, ensuring that all of the offending dirt staining her weapon had been completely removed.

It was a key survival skill to know how to maintain your preferred weapon of choice- a weapon breakage in the wasteland, which lay just beyond her home, was almost certainly fatal. Those were the skills a nineteen year old had to know in this dark period of human existence. Thanks to the arrogance and demonic selfishness and greed of the Echelon pig-dogs the majority of innocent survivors of the flames of destruction were now forced to scrape and survive in the wastes whilst the privileged minority lavished in the safety and comfort of their underground bunkers.

Due to the danger of the planet's surface Sable had found solace in the cool, shadowy embrace of the underground Metro and service tunnels which honeycombed underbelly of one of the ruined cities. This was the place Sable had called her home for her entire life; with no parents to raise her she had been forced to fend for herself for her entire existence. Sable had created her 'Home' in a storage room off of one of the deeper corridors in the sewage system.

The room was sparsely decorated with the bare essentials she had been able to scavenge from the ruins of the city over the years- stockpiles of food and water, semi-comfortable bedding, fuel for fires, ammunition and weapons and most critically a communicator Sable had found on the body of an Echelon Enforcer. The Echelon technicians remained either arrogant or stupid enough not to bother to change their communication protocols or security codes, allowing Sable to eavesdrop on their communications in the area as she pleased.

Sable held the combat knife loosely in her right hand, feeling the weight and balance of the weapon in her fingers. Sable threw the weapon into the air, her keen eyes following the blade as it somersaulted through the air in front of her. A piercing burst of static cut through the small room, breaking Sables unshakeable concentration. Her eyes instinctively moved towards the communicator lying on the table next to her makeshift bed, her eyes snapped back to the blade just as it reached its peak and began its descent. Sable reached out and, in one fluid motion, snatched the weapon out of midair and sheathed the blade at her belt.

Sable turned her attention to the communicator which continued to emit the unrelenting bursts of static. Sable reached out and plucked the communicator off of the small bedside table. She adjusted the controls at the base of the communicator, listening through the film of white noise. _"...Bravo Squad Two is moving into position at Grid Zebra-Niner. Over_"

"Roger Bravo Two. Continue your patrol and report any abnormal readings. Command out". Another grizzled voice responded to the first transmission.

Sable heard a rumble resonating down through the dirt and rubble above her, the metallic crunch of a vehicles treaded wheels biting into the ground as they rolled over the debris which lay in its path.

Sable leapt off of the bed, snatching her pistol off of the table as she left. Sable retracted the magazine from the pistol, checking it before snapping it back into place. The hunt was on.

* * *

Sable crawled through the dirt which coated the city surface, the broken roads and felled buildings created a shattered, concrete jungle of broken debris. Sable perched atop one of the larger rubble piles- staring out across the urban wasteland which lay before her. Her keen eyes scanned across the terrain which lay before her. Sable quickly spotted her target- even with their small size they were not as subtle as they clearly thought they were.

Two squads of Echelon Enforcers lead the procession of an Echelon Prowler supported by both the Echelon Infiltrator teams. Sable silently watched as the patrol passed along the previously cleared highway, their weapons slack in their arms and their eyes lazily scanning in front of them.

When conducting these hit and run raids Sable usually went for the food and medical supplies- although the computer equipment and weapons were valuable the food and medicine were far more easily tradable on the black market. There was also the consideration that very few militant Sai were eager to purchase their anti-tank rockets from a nineteen year old girl.

Sable could see the two Echelon Enforcers leading the march, the two of them paying little attention to their surroundings, carrying their weapons loosely in their arms. Sable tapped into their communication channels. "_...So...if you... choose which would you rather kiss- a Sai or Corporal Jones?_"

"What kind of Sai?" The second Enforcer asked.

"An ugly one" the first soldier asked.

"Only once and not on the lips" his comrade replied.

The two of them were patrolling side by side, joking on the on duty and paying little attention to their surroundings. These two were a snipers wet dream. Sable placed the scope of her laser pistol against her eye, lining up the shot. She was going to take out the stupid one first.

* * *

Sable squeezed the trigger- the burning line of super heated plasma crossing the distance within half a second, splashing across the faceplate of the guards helmet, throwing him to the ground.

Chaos suddenly erupted across the battlefield in front of her- each soldier either scrambling for what meagre cover they could find whilst other soldiers fired their weapons wildly into the surrounding debris. "_We're under attack!_" One of the surviving Enforcers called over their COM link- Sable knew their pleas would fall on deaf ears.

"_Shoot the fucker!_" An Infiltrator braced against a boulder, rising above the rubble to line up a shot from his sniper rifle. Their thermal imagining sensors allowed them to pierce the thin film of dust blooming across the battlefield. Sable rose to her feet, scrambling across the great piles of debris which lay before her, her youthful agility allowing her to scramble flawlessly over the scattered debris. Sable drew a signal flare from her belt, snapping the trigger she threw the device at her feet. The burning plume of smoke exploding in her wake helped to conceal her as well as mask her heat signature on their thermal sensors. Sable continued to charge through the scattered debris in front of her, the sound of bullets impacting in her wake vividly reminding her of the price of faltering.

"_I think there is only one!_" One of the Enforcers yelled over their COM link. Her guise had dissipated, her advantage was gone. Sable leapt into the air, gliding across a wide chasm between the piles of debris. An Echelon Infiltrator lined up the sight of his weapon with his target, he squeezed the trigger. Sable felt a sharp pain pierce through her side and emerge through the other. There was little she could do- she was already in flight; she was committed to this trajectory and speed. All she could do was to bring her arms up around her torso in a desperate act to preserve herself. Sable collapsed painfully into the dirt, rolling over several times before she impacted a hard pile of rubble.

Sable rolled herself onto her back, every slightest movement only intensifying the pain which now coursed through her system; she braced herself against the pile of rubble. Sable continued to battle with herself in a desperate attempt to maintain her consciousness. Sable could only watch helplessly as the Echelon Enforcers surrounded her, their weapons aimed directly at her chest. Through her haze Sable could see another Echelon soldier stepping forward from amongst the group. This soldier seemed to carry himself with an air of superiority and, if the gold trinkets on his shoulder guards were any indication, he was their leader.

The Echelon leader stood over his defeated opponent, his dark eyes burning into her skull. "How many casualties?"

One of his subordinates stepped forward, saluting his officer. "Captain, two dead and three critically injured. Two of those are unlikely to survive. All other squad members are combat ready, sir"

"Two dead" The captain lowered his gaze, his eyes closed. "Two dead" he repeated hushed under his breath. His gaze suddenly raised sharply, revitalized fire burning in his eyes. "All this destruction..." He indicated the devastation with a wave of his open arms. "From one Sai whelp. Two men gave their lives today in service to their species" The Captain drew his sidearm from his belt, holding the weapon at arm's length. "This is their retribution"

Sable knew this was her end- she could feel the animal fear building up inside of her. She closed her eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact. But with the fear she could feel power building up inside of her. She could feel power building up inside of her. She could feel her primal fear beginning to turn to rage. Her rage gave her power.

Sables' eyes snapped open; her eyes burned fiery red as her body surged with revitalised energy. Sable directed the energy through her body, the power pooling in her hands and the rest of her body pulsating with the powerful aura. Sable began to rise gracefully into the air, an unknown force allowing her to levitate a few feet above the broken surface.

The Enforcers surrounding her could only stare blindly at her, their weapons falling slack in their arms. Only the Captain remained immune, his eyes frantically moving across his frozen soldiers. "Fire, Fire!" The Captain yelled, rallying his soldiers behind him. The Enforcers and Infiltrators opened fire in a hail of automatic fire. The bullets stopped in midflight, the projectiles hanging in the air millimetres from their targets flesh. The turret of the Echelon Prowler turned to face its target, heavily intensifying the Echelon barrage. But the bullets stopped short of impacting their target. The sphere of influence surrounding the Sai suddenly exploded outwards, a fiery shockwave of energy cascaded outwards. The sphere of energy tore through loose rubble and Echelon soldiers indiscriminately, the intense shockwave throwing the soldiers to the ground in a broken, bloody heap.

Sable stared at the broken corpse of the Echelon Captain who had threatened her, what he had been reduced to now. Sable did not know what had given her these powers, but she knew that the Echelon was going to suffer retribution for their crimes. Flames of hate quickly built inside of her- she could feel her powers beginning to build once again.

Sable took a step forward. Unimaginable pain suddenly tore through her body. The shear shock of the pain overcame her system; her muscles could no longer maintain her stance. Her body fell limp, her body collapsing to the ground.

* * *

The dirt crunched loudly beneath the Rangers boots, the rays of light piercing through the film of dust which wafted through the air of the city ruins.

"I do not know why command keeps sending us out to search these cities like common scavengers" The Sai Ranger, Griff, spoke aloud, patrolling at the rear of the loose formation of four Sai soldiers walking through the barren ruins of what had once been a human city. He turned on his heels, walking backwards a few steps to assure himself that their rear was clear before turning back to the front once again.

"I guess they simply want us to document all the different colours of rocks in the wasteland" Tarr joked.

"Keep it down, whelps" The Ranger squad leader, Sev, snapped, quickly returning his soldiers under his command structure. Sev glanced at the Ranger leading the formation, Taggart, who also served as their communication and sensor specialist, at the moment he seemed more entranced by the computer bracelet clasped around his wrist than what was going on around him. "You see anything?"

Despite the Echelons technical advantage the Sai had managed to salvage a large amount of technology from the ruins the Echelon had forced them to inhabit during their long suffering existence through the disaster and beyond. What technology they could acquire, while outdated by Echelon standards, still proved invaluably reliable and those who could utilize them were held in the highest regard. Taggart turned to face his commander. "Nothing yet, sir. Just dust and dirt" The Ranger shrugged his shoulders in tired bemusement. "I do not know what we were expecting to find here-" Taggarts wrist computer suddenly came alive with a series of high pitched beeps and accompanying lights flashing across the screen. The Ranger glanced down at the computer panel, typing out a series of commands on the devices keypad. "The sensors just went haywire" The Ranger's gaze passed back and forth across the high piles of debris which surrounded the road. The Ranger charged forward and clambered to the top of one of the higher rock piles, hoping to gain a clearer signal through the thick film of airborne dust which hung thick in the air.

"Probably just a natural pocket of radiation" Griff spoke with a snide remark.

"Yeah, either that or some Echelon cronies tripped over a crate of plasma grenades" Tarr snickered.

"I am detecting some major energy spikes" Taggart stood atop a high vantage point overlooking the deserted wasteland which lay before them, interrupting their exchange. "Extremely major, completely off of the charts. It is emanating a few klicks to the south"

"Are you even sure your tech is even reading it right?" Griff indicated the surrounding wasteland with his open arms. "There's nothing out here"

"Stow it soldiers" The squad leader snapped his troops back to attention. "We shall recon the source of the energy fluctuations. If the area is clear we shall declare it a natural anomaly and return to base" The commander threw his hand forward past his head, signalling his squad forward. Perhaps this was what Meridian had foreseen after all.

* * *

Sev crested the pile of debris, planting his assault rifle on the lip of the debris piles for stability. He peered through the scope of his rifle, scanning the broken wasteland which stretched out before them. Sev's eyes focused down on the clearing was covered in a thin film of dust and the broken remains of several Echelon soldiers and the burning wreckage of an Echelon Prowler.

Taggart crouched next to his squad leader. "The source lies at the base of this pile"

Sev rose up into a crouch. "Let's head down there" He turned back to face his squad. "Maintain a tight formation- we do not know what we will find". Sev rose to his feet, he stepped over the peak of the debris, trotting to a stop as he stood over the first Echelon body. His squad formed up behind him, their weapons primed and their expressions neutral despite the graveyard of bodies which were scattered before them. "Tread lightly. Ensure that no Echelon ambush awaits us. Salvage what we can from the remains"

The squad formed out around their commander, their eyes scanning across the scene of broken corpses and shattered equipment which lay scattered amongst the natural debris of the wasteland. Some of the rangers choose to scavenge the bodies for equipment and supplies, others maintained their gaze on the horizon for targets, a few choose to prod and kick the Echelon corpses, mostly to satisfy their fears that the soldiers were in fact dead.

Grif pressed the steel tip of his boot into the side of an Echelon soldier, rolling the Enforcer onto his back. The soldier's breastplate was stained with fresh dirt and mud; the body remained limp and broken at his feet. Grif moved on to continue his search. Something suddenly caught his eye. Grif's weapon snapped sharply into position, his keen eyes unwavering from his latest discovery. Grif stepped closer.

The body seemed different from all the rest- they were female; eighteen, nineteen. Their clothes were simple and showed harsh wear of wasteland living. Three long headtails emerged from her head and snaked down her back. Whoever she was she clearly was no friend of the Echelon. "Over here" Grif called aloud, each member of the squad abandoning their respective tasks to come to his aid.

Taggart stepped forward, crouching over the silent body. Grif stepped back into the semi-circle which had formed around the new discovery. "Who's the girl?" Sev asked.

"I don't know, sir. She was here amongst the Echelon bodies, but she does not appear as though she is one of them" Grif answered his commander.

"What do you mean?" Sev asked.

"Sir" Grif answered. "I think she is a Sai"

Sev glanced down at the body, Taggart passed his wrist computer across the girl. "Then what would the Echelon want with her?" Sev closed his eyes, his mind pondering precisely what use the Echelon would have with this young Sai waif.

"Squad leader?" Sev turned to face Taggart who was calling for his attention.

"What is the situation?" Sev asked.

Taggart glanced up to face his commander. "She is injured, but stable"

"Secure her for transport. Meridian will want to meet her. What about the energy source we detected?" Sev asked.

Taggart stared up at his squad leader. "Sir, I think she is the source"

* * *

Sable could feel pain tearing through her entire body, her mind fought to maintain consciousness even as her body began to embrace the cold touch of the void. But still her mind remained her own.

Her vision was broken and distorted; she could not pierce the film of darkness which encased her eyes. Her ears still worked though, and she could hear the unmistakable rhythmic crunch of feet across the scorched surface of the wasteland. The footsteps became louder, became closer. They suddenly stopped. Sable suddenly felt hands creeping across her body. Her rage began to build inside of her once again.

Sables' clenched fist snapped upwards from her side, preparing to swipe the offending creature across the jaw. Sables' hand barely left her side before unimaginable pain tore through her entire body, her mind becoming consumed by the pain which surged through her system, eventually lapsing into unconsciousness.

* * *

Sable could feel her mind returning to the physical world. Accompanying her consciousness fresh pain suddenly tore through her in a tidal rush. The pain seemed dulled, a whisper of her former injuries.

"You are awake" Sables eyes snapped open at the sound of another's voice, ignoring the sharp stab of fresh pain as her eyes adjusted to the intense light. Her sight slowly began to clear, a dark silhouette hanging over her, dampening the lights harsh intensity. The dark shroud dissipated, quickly becoming replaced by the smiling face of a young, teenage girl. "Are you feeling better?" the girl asked with genuine concern in her voice.

"Uggh" was the only reply which could escape past Sables lips. Sable attempted to raise her back off of her bed, her weakened muscles straining with the effort.

"Hey, hey" The girl placed a serene hand on her shoulder, gently pressing Sable back down into the bed with a gentle but firm hand. In her still weakened state Sable could not resist for long and quickly submitted to her saviours touch. The girl retrieved a cup of water from her bedside table, offering it to Sable.

Sable gently scooted her back up across the pile of pillows, Sable pressing her back against the soft material. Sable accepted the offering; placing the cup to her lips she inhaled the cool liquid down her throat. Sable utilized the opportunity to pass her eyes across her surroundings- the room was simply decorated and serene. Sable handed the cup back to the girl; she placed the cup back down onto the table beside her. "I am sure you have many questions you wish to ask" she turned back to face Sable.

"Where am I?" Sable asked as an obviously first query. The girls' lips parted to speak.

"You are in the Citadel, child" Sable and Eona turned to face the source of the mysterious voice. A tall woman who easily dwarfed both Sable and Eona stood in the doorway. She was dressed in flowing dark brown robes; only the deep scaly grey skin of her face and her piercing eyes remained uncovered. She stepped forward to Sables bedside. "Thank you Eona, you may leave now"

Eona rose silently from the edge of Sables bed, giving a respectful bow to their visitor before leaving Sables room in silence. Sable's mysterious visitor turned to face her. "Who are you? Sable spoke with fire in her voice.

"You certainly retain allot of spirit for someone who has spent the past few days on the cusp of death. I am Meridian. You lay deep within the Citadel of the Sai"

"What happened to me?" Sable clasped her hand against her forehead.

"That was quite an impressive display" Meridian continued regardless of Sables clearly bemused expression. "It is quite rare that we discover a recruit with such raw potential as you. I am sure that with time-"

"What happened to me?" Sable repeated, anger quickly replacing fear in her voice.

"And disciplined training" Meridian continued despite the interruption. "You could become a powerful warrior against the Echelon"

"What are you talking about" Sable demanded. "Who are you, why did you bring me here?"

"My followers saved you from that hellish wasteland and you berate me with questions?" Meridian replied. "Be thankful that it was we who found you, not the Echelon. I could just as easily order my Rangers to return you to the wastes immediately if you wish?"

"I can handle the Echelon" Sable spoke with the fiery passion of youth.

"Not in the state that we found you in, and quite frankly not even in the state you are in now. Not without my help. I can feel your hate, your pain. It was the Echelon who did this to you?"

"I do not know" Sable almost seemed pained by the admission.

"It is of no concern" Meridian disregarded Sables fears. "You shall remain here. Once you are healed, your training shall begin"

"Training? No" Sable replied bluntly. "As soon as I am healed I will be returning to my hellish wasteland. You can fight your war by yourself"

"You shall learn soon, child, that I am not one to be trifled with. Your life beyond these walls was sealed as soon as your powers were awakened. Whatever transpired you were given these gifts for a reason and you were brought to me to help you utilize them. Join our cause and soon you may have your revenge against all of the Echelon"

Sable smiled devilishly. "And what is to stop me from fighting my way out of your Citadel?"

Meridian seemed completely unphased by the question. "Several hundred of my most loyal guards. Even if you were able to evade my soldiers the Echelon will surely be searching for you. It is I who saved you and it is I who may continue to keep you safe"

Sable however remained unconvinced. "Right now I trust you as much as I trust the Echelon"

"I do not demand your trust, child" Meridian snapped. "Simply your obedience" Sable stared blankly in contemplation. Sable eventually stared back at Meridian, nodding firmly. "Very well, as soon as you are rested we shall begin your training"

"I am ready now!" Sable spoke sternly. Sable pressed her elbows into the soft pillows, attempting to raise herself off of her bed, only to have pain tearing through her system. Sable could not resist the pain any longer; she collapsed back down into the bed, pain tearing through her system.

"Like most beings you hear, but you do not listen" Meridian hissed. "You shall have plenty of time to injure yourself further once your training has begun. For now though you must rest. I shall return in a few days"

* * *

The sun rose high in the cloudless sky over the Citadel. Sable stepped out into the open air for the first time in days, her eyes fighting to adjust to the harsh sunlight which burned down on top of her.

Meridian lead her latest student out into the main training courtyard at the base of the Citadel overlooking the cliff-face cascading down to the rocky beach beneath them. The centre of the courtyard was occupied by the same girl Sable had seen watching over her when she had awoken a few days ago.

The girl stood with her eyes closed, her arms held loosely at her sides. Her arms gracefully rose from her sides, her arms held out in front of herself. Her arms crossed over her chest, slowly drifting across her chest and rising up over her head in a deceptively beautiful and encapsulating movement.

The girl allowed her eyes to flutter open, fading from her trance like state to finally acknowledge her visitors. The girl bowed respectfully. "Mistress"

"You may raise your gaze Eona" Meridian loomed over her student; with a wave of her hand she motioned Sable forward. "This is Eona. She shall train you in your breathing and movement exercises

"Breathing?" Sable spat the word like a demonic entity. "I thought you were training me to destroy the Echelon"

"Ah, the fiery impatience of youth" Meridian spoke with wispy remembrance of times past. "How distasteful" Her cold steely gaze returned quickly to conceal the vulnerable outburst. "You must first learn to control yourself and embrace your new found powers before you can obliterate an entire Echelon formation with your mind. Your rage shall be put to good use in time"

Meridian stepped back across the open courtyard into the shadow of the Citadel, leaving the two students in the courtyard to their training. "Shall we begin?"Eona motioned Sable into the centre of the courtyard. "In order to master your abilities you must first master yourself" Eona prepared herself into a ready stance. "To do that you must first learn to control your movements and breathing"

Sable mimicked stance. She followed Eona's movements as best as she could. It did not concern her. She was not going to remain in their control for long- once her powers were mastered the hunt would begin, and every single Echelon she would find would die.


End file.
